Hearing the voice, the woman froze mid-bite. She slowly looked up. A few seconds later, for some unknown reason, she let out a cry and ran off, limping.

The three of them were left standing there, momentarily confused by what had just happened.

Wang Hui Fang looked at He Nan and saw his brow was furrowed in a tight frown. Her fingers twitched, and a shadow crossed her eyes.

He Nan felt Wang Hui Fang’s gaze on him. "Let’s go back," he said, then turned to look at Xiao Nian. The boy still hadn’t quite processed what had happened.

"Xiao Nian, let’s go."

"Oh," Xiao Nian replied instinctively.

When they got home, Xiao Nian went straight to his room without a word.

In their room, He Nan was visibly in low spirits. Wang Hui Fang brought in some hot water she had just boiled, poured him a cup, and glanced at him.

"Was that your ex-wife? Xiao Nian’s mother?"

He Nan paused for a moment before nodding. "It looked like her, but I didn’t get a good look before she ran off."

Wang Hui Fang asked in confusion, "Didn’t you say she’d already remarried?"

He Nan shook his head. "I’m not sure. I’ll go back to the village one of these days and ask around. There are a few women who married over from Guo Jiagou. They should know what’s going on."

When he finished speaking and heard no response from Wang Hui Fang, he looked up at her. She was staring blankly at the cup on the table.

"What’s wrong?"

Wang Hui Fang’s gaze flickered, and she slowly shook her head. "Nothing."

He Nan glanced at her but didn’t press the issue.

In the next room, Xiao Nian was lying on his bed, staring into space. He recalled the last time he’d seen his mother. It was the year his sister had just left for Beijing City. She had shown up at their house, but his grandmother had chased her away. Five years had passed since then. ’Hasn’t she remarried? How could she have ended up like this?’

’She is my real mother, after all.’ He still remembered a fair bit from his childhood. In his memory, she had a habit of not distinguishing between immediate family and outsiders, always favoring her own maiden family. But she had been good to him. Still, she had left him without a mother at such a young age, leading other kids to mock him countless times. He had never told his father about any of it.

’What if that really was her at the train station today? The way she looked...’ Xiao Nian felt a wave of irritation and unease wash over him.

The next day, instead of going home after work, He Nan rode his bicycle back to Da Liushu Village.

The villagers greeted He Nan enthusiastically when they saw him. He returned their greetings one by one before heading to Uncle He’s house.

Auntie He was in the yard feeding the chickens. When she saw He Nan come in, she quickly latched the coop.

"He Nan! It’s been a while. Are you and your wife doing well?"

He Nan smiled and nodded. "We’re doing great, Auntie He. Is Uncle home?"

"He is. Come on in and warm up."

At this time of year, there was no farm work to be done, and it was almost time to hunker down for the winter. It was nice and warm to just stay at home with nothing to do.

He Nan entered the house and saw his uncle on the kang, smoking his pipe.

"Uncle."

"He Nan! What brings you back at this hour? Is work going well?"

He Nan nodded. "It’s going great."

Uncle He looked at him. "How are your parents doing in Beijing City? They didn’t even come back for the New Year last year. To be honest, I really miss your father. After living in the village for so many years, can they really get used to a place like Beijing City? I went to the provincial capital last time and stayed with Zhen Dong for two days. I felt out of place the whole time. It’s still more comfortable here in our village."

He Nan smiled and said, "My dad’s doing great in Beijing City. He’s not just sitting around idly. He’s helping manage the warehouse at my third brother’s supermarket. My brother provides room and board, and even pays him a salary. He’s even in charge of a few people, so he’s living quite the life. I just got back from Beijing City yesterday. With my third brother and his wife looking after them, my parents are living very comfortably."

Uncle He said, looking relieved, "That’s good, that’s good. You brothers have all done well for yourselves, especially He Lang. Last I heard from Zhen Dong, He Lang’s business is much bigger than his. Zhen Dong opened a clothing store in the provincial capital, and he’s busy as can be every day."

"That’s great, too. You can earn a lot in business these days."

Uncle He agreed on that point. The food at Zhen Dong’s home was excellent, and when he left, the boy had insisted on stuffing a few hundred yuan into his hand.

"By the way, what did you go to Beijing City for? To see your parents?"

He Nan replied, "Not just for that. My Ziqing found a young man in Beijing City. They got engaged a few days ago and are getting married next month. I came over to tell you so you and Auntie He can come, too."

Auntie He came in with a cup of hot water for He Nan, just in time to hear this. "Ziqing is getting married?" she asked in surprise.

He Nan nodded. "That’s right. They’re already engaged and will be married next month. Auntie He, when we go to Beijing City next month, we’ll take you and Uncle with us. You can attend my daughter’s wedding and see the city at the same time."

Auntie He nervously brushed her clothes. "Go to Beijing City? Can people like us really go to a place like that?" she said, a little apprehensive.

Uncle He shot her a look. "What are you talking about? Of course we can go."

Auntie He muttered, "But that’s the Imperial City! It’s so far away. We’d get lost the second we stepped outside."

He Nan couldn’t help but laugh. "Auntie He, we’ll be with you, you won’t get lost. Besides, my parents are there too. You can all have a reunion in Beijing City. It’s the Capital; it’s very different from our village."

"We’re going. We’re definitely going." Uncle He blew out a ring of smoke. "That girl Ziqing is getting married. No matter how far it is, we should be there to see it."

Auntie He asked He Nan, "What does Ziqing’s fiancé do?"

"He’s a teacher."

Aunt He’s eyes lit up. "A teacher! That’s wonderful! That’s an ’iron rice bowl.’ That girl Ziqing has really done well for herself. Not only did she get into university, but she’s also marrying into a family in Beijing City. Ah, He Nan, you’re a fortunate man."

He Nan smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am."

Only then did Uncle He ask about the real purpose of He Nan’s visit to the village, so He Nan had no choice but to tell them.

After listening to his story, Uncle He and his wife fell silent. They probably never expected that Guo Jinfeng would be reduced to begging.

He Nan said, "At the end of the day, she’s still the mother of my two children. Xiao Nian saw her, too. I’m worried about how the kids will feel, so I came back to find out what happened to her."

Aunt He nodded. "It won’t hurt to ask. Sha Gen’s wife is from Guo Jiagou. I’ll go get her."

"Sorry to trouble you, Aunt He."

Aunt He waved a hand dismissively and left.

A short while later, Aunt He returned with Sha Gen’s wife. The woman had apparently been told on the way over why she was needed, so she didn’t waste any time. She came right in and told He Nan everything she knew in a straightforward manner.

Her story, however, made everyone in the room frown.

It turned out that the old man Guo Jinfeng had remarried passed away last autumn. He died on the very night the village had finished distributing the grain harvest. People said he’d been perfectly fine at dinner, even eating an extra bowl of rice. No one expected him to pass away in his sleep, never to wake up again.

When Guo Jinfeng woke up the next morning, she found the old man beside her was already stiff. He had likely passed away in the first half of the night. She had slept beside a corpse all night.